


I've Come Too Far to Stop Now

by C1ashi1dr



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Detective!Dany, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Outlaw!Arya, Western AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23290918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C1ashi1dr/pseuds/C1ashi1dr
Summary: Daenerys Targaryen, renowned Pinkerton, is on the trail of an outlaw known only as the Wolf. Her investigation brings her knocking on the door of the Starks and leads her to Arya Stark, youngest daughter of Ned Stark. Immediately, Dany starts to suspect Arya of being the one she's after, and she's quickly proved correct. However, Arya knows of something much worse going on down South and Dany is forced to choose between her job and the woman she's quickly finding she has affections for.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell, Talisa Maegyr/Robb Stark
Comments: 26
Kudos: 83





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off what was intended to be a one shot in my fic [The Dragon and the Wolf](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15251976/chapters/55666012) but it has been changed slightly and will be extended into this larger work. Expect updates about once a week unless I get really motivated and make more. I do have all of this loosely planned out but I'm also open to feedback and ideas I may not have thought of, so don't hold back! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I'm not the writer of Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire and as such these characters do not belong to me. This is also unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine and I'm sorry if they ruin the 
> 
> Disclaimer 2: I'm not very good at history and I'm very lazy so most of this isn't researched and is me winging it so sorry if it's completely inaccurate. 
> 
> You didn't come to hear me ramble about the story, you came to read it so without further ado, I present: I've Come Too Far to Stop Now :)

Daenerys Targaryen, master Pinkerton Agent, had hit a dead end. A quite solid one, at that, being a small fence post on the edges of the Stark Estate. She'd been wandering around for a few hours at this point, following the dirt road that circled the giant plot of land. Dany hadn't seen a sign of anybody else the entire time she'd been out there, since that morning when, after taking directions from a local, she'd left her horse in a stable in Winter Town and taken the rest of the route on foot. It hadn't been pleasant, but Dany prided herself in her resilience. 

It wasn't just traveling that brought her to the North. She'd been on the tail of a famous outlaw, known only to the world as the Wolf. It wasn't even their own moniker, it had been given to them by the southern aristocrats of Westeros, a kind of insult. Dany didn't see what it would do, giving an outlaw a name to rally around, but it wasn't her place to question those who were paying her salary. No, it was only up to her to catch this Wolf and make sure they faced justice. Not that she had much to go on.

Most outlaws were less slippery than this one. They loved the bombastic style of doing things, declaring their intentions and making daring escapes in the break of day. They let people see their faces, with only tiny masks. The Wolf, however, the Wolf was different. Dany had never seen anyone so dedicated to keeping their name and their entire being in the shadows like they did. The reports that she got of the Wolf were completely unreliable. They varied in their details, oftentimes blatantly contradicting each other. They could only agree on the cloak that the Wolf wore, dark and long, presumably to obscure their identity. If that was true, it was working quite well. 

Even the scenes of the crime were barren of the evidence that Dany needed to catch the Wolf. The only thing ever left behind was a wolf fang, oftentimes with intricate designs burned onto the face of it. Sometimes, it was embedded into the earth where a herd of cattle had been. Other times, it rested on a small rope around the handle of a vault in one of the banks, gaping in the emptiness. There were no signs of entry, no signs of exit, nothing to indicate that anyone had even been at the sites of the crime. The fang was the only thing that Dany had to go off of, so go off it she did. 

If there was one thing Dany had determined, it was that she wasn't going to end up like the others. Many had already tried to track down the Wolf, most of the finest bounty hunters and Pinkerton agents in Westeros (the Lannisters and Baratheons only hired the best, after all) but many had found themselves driven completely mad by it. With so little evidence available to them, most went around and around in circles and then found themselves dead by a stream, throats slashed out.

Daenerys had tracked down worse criminals (Khal Drogo came to mind, the torrid affair between them a still raw wound) and certainly ones that made themselves to be something far more dangerous than the Wolf seemed to be. Dany would not underestimate the outlaw, however, and was prepared to be equally violent, if not more so.

So that's why she found herself on the Stark Estate, following the only lead that had been given to her: the wolf fang. The Starks were another affair, equally mysterious as the Wolf but seemingly more civil. The Lannisters were not fond of them, but the current head of the house, Ned Stark, had a close friendship to Robert Baratheon. That already set Dany's teeth on edge, Roberto being responsible for the death of her oldest brother. 

There was also the matter of the Stark children, none of whom Dany had the pleasure of meeting but whose reputations exceeded their reach in the North into King's Landing, where Dany had first landed on her voyage from Essos. Starting from the oldest was Rob Stark, who had been known for his accomplishments in the rodeo circuit and wasn't currently living with his parents, instead having moved in with his wife, Talisa. Then there was Sansa Stark, who'd been engaged to Joffrey Baratheon until an...unfortunate accident had befallen him. Now that she had returned to the North, she was reported to be a completely different woman. But neither of them were who Dany was interested in, nor were the two youngest Starks, Bran and Rickon, though she'd wanted to speak to Bran to see if he'd have any advice (his wealth of knowledge was spoken about everywhere she went, how could she resist asking?). 

No, Dany wasn't interested in meeting any of them. She was interested in Arya Stark, the youngest daughter of Ned Stark and considered to be far more wild than her sister. Dany had heard rumors, but rumors weren't always to be trusted, no matter how much truth may lay at the core of them. But Many said that young Stark would turn suitors away at the drop of a hat. She had no regard for the customs of the South, let alone those of the North. And it was said that there was some sort of wildness in her eyes, one that unsettled even the bravest of warriors. There didn't seem a man who didn't fear to call upon the Starks and be greeted at the door by the girl and Nymeria, her canine companion. If what she'd read was to be correct, Dany couldn't have been much older than Arya, a year or two perhaps between them, and that made it all the more strange. Dany had made a life of her own, and here she was, twenty-two and on the icy trail of the most popular outlaw while this Arya Stark was at home, fending off suitors, with a sword if the stories were to be believed.

This impression of Miss Stark was not what Dany encountered upon their first meeting, though the circumstances were unusual to say the least. After running into the fence post and stumbling back over the strip of grass separating the edges of the Estate from the dirt path encircling it, she looked at a hill past the fence and noticed someone astride a horse. It couldn't have been more than a few moments before she was standing before Arya Stark herself.

Whatever Dany was expecting, the bored expression on a youthful woman was not it. Arya Stark was not striking in her beauty, but her stormy grey eyes held something within them that Dany felt the sudden urge to figure out. But then she was speaking, and her voice was gravelly and Dany had to shake herself from the strange stupor that had taken over her mind. 

"Who are you?" The young woman certainly didn't beat around the bush and Dany found herself admiring her, back light by the high sun. Still, her voice was threatening, low and protective. Her bored expression had shifted to one of open hostility and Dany wondered if she would be meeting the wolf of a dog that supposedly followed her. "I'll not ask again, stranger, who are you?" 

"A passerby," Dany decided at the final moment. "In need of a drink and a place to sit for a moment. Know of such a place?" The Stark woman pondered for a moment, looking back over her shoulder, as though expecting another presence at any moment. She needn't have worried, Dany had been walking for so long that any companion that she might have had would long have since abandoned her. Then the stormy gaze turned back to her, and she watched the Stark woman look her over, eyes narrowed for a long moment before she huffed a sigh. She looked elsewhere, focusing on a point beyond Daenerys.

"I'm sure no one would mind if you came to my house for a moment, just for a drink." The Stark woman looked uncertain, her grey eyes conflicted. Dany, in return, put on her most charming smile. "Would you like my horse, miss...?" 

"Oh, it's not a bother," Dany said, brushing off any attempts to gain her name. Luckily, she knew of the history between her family and the Stark clan that had ended with her father disgraced and dead like all of those of her blood. "I'll walk, if it's all the same."

"The main house is far from here," Arya said, casting a glance over her shoulder. She bit her lip. "But if you are sure, I will not stop you."

She kept the horse slow for Dany's sake, though she needn't have. It wasn't a long walk, merely one that was made for someone who used their legs. They spoke little and what they did speak of was light in nature, an attempt by the Stark woman to pry into who she was, to even gain her name, but Dany easily deflected all the questions. She didn't need to reveal who she was just yet, and instead she responded with questions of the estate. Dany caught a raised eyebrow thrown in her direction more than once but she pretended not to notice.

It was different, being in the land as opposed to looking from the fence. Dany noticed a few cattle here and there, but not many. Some dogs loped about, none matching the description she'd gotten from those at Winter Town that would be Nymeria. Arya barely seemed to notice them, and instead kept her gaze focused ahead. Dany also noticed the clump of trees in the distance, that she had previously identified as part of the Wolfswood. The section of the forest looked imposing even from a distance but Dany was sure that if she were go among the trees it would be even worse. 

The house (it was a manor, really) was large but not imposing. While it stood tall against the sky, blocking out the sun for a long ways, it did not loom over her like her home in Dragonstone used to, nor did it feel like the estate in Braavos where she stayed in her youth. There was a large porch that wrapped around, railing covered by cloths and sheets. There were a few chairs scattered across the porch itself, a table here or there to accompany it, but the thing was mostly bare, and, once she left her horse with a stable hand, Arya led her quickly up the steps and into the house itself, shoving the door open without any preamble. 

Dany noticed first the homey feel of the place, open enough to keep her from feeling claustrophobic but closed off enough for privacy. They'd entered through a side door, found themselves in the mud room, laundry scattered about, shoes on the floor, and Arya poked her head around a corner.

"Mum, I've brought someone from the fields in!" Arya called, and the answering hum was close, in no way justifying the shouting. It didn't didn't surprise Dany, however, and she lingered in the doorway, feeling as though she were intruding in one way or another. 

"Arya, I've told you about your shoes in the house," came the disgruntled reply and, with a small grumble, the young woman toed off her boots and motioned for Dany to do the same. "And as long as you and your guest don't tear up the house, feel free to bring them in." 

"She's insistent about it, no matter how much mud I hit off of them on the porch. C'mon, I'll take you to the sitting room so you don't have to deal with my embarrassment of a family." True to her word, Arya did lead them to a separate room, bypassing the kitchen completely. Dany was still curious as to its occupant, but didn't press the issue.

The sitting room was smaller than she'd thought it would be, but she settled easily into one of the chairs. Miss Stark took the other chair, slouching in the chair in a way that was most unladylike but somehow exactly in line with the impression that Dany had gotten from her. There was a bottle of whiskey on the table and Arya took the liberty of pouring herself a glass. She looked up at Dany with inquiring eyes and poured her a glass, passing it over. Dany didn't grab it, even as Arya took a drink for herself.  
"Is your father home?" Dany asked, trying to sound innocent in her inquiries.

"No, he's gone South for business at the moment. He's set to return in a few weeks, if you're set on seeing him." Arya looked at her for a long moment, eyebrow raised. "Though I suspect you've come for different reasons?" 

"I wouldn't say-" Dany began, but was cut off when Arya waved a hand, taking a gulp of her whiskey before setting the glass down. 

"There's no need to keep up the pretense, Agent," the Stark woman said, chuckling at Dany's raised eyebrows. "Please, it's not hard to tell when one such as yourself is poking around. I've seen you circle the estate since this morning, I'm not blind. You couldn't have been a simple passerby, we're too far from any outpost or proper town for that, at least in the direction you were coming. Even someone wandering from Winter Town looking for something to do wouldn't have come this far. And don't think I haven't noticed you snooping around the house. So... who are you looking for?"

Dany raised an eyebrow, regarding Arya with a frustrated gaze. If she was that easy to see through, how had she made it this far? Arya Stark must have been far more observant than anyone gave her credit for. And the presumptuous way she was looking at Dany set her teeth on edge, more than anything else about this entire encounter so far. Arya knew something that Dany didn't and she was dangling it over her head like a piece of meat. So be it then. Daenerys Targaryen was not one to back away from a challenge, and this was a challenge if she'd ever seen one. 

"If you must know," Dany began, straightening in her chair to gain as much height over her companion as she could. It was then that she reached for her own glass of whiskey, though she abhorred the taste and the feel of it. This woman wasn't seeing her as an equal and that needed to change. "I'm on the trail of the Wolf. I suppose you've heard of them?" Bingo, there, in her gaze, a flicker of something, guilt or doubt. "I'll take that as a yes." 

"And you believe my family has something to do with the string of thefts? You wound us." Her tone was different, colder, like the Northern winds. "Does all the time in Essos make you inclined to go to people's houses and accuse them of crimes they haven't committed?"

Dany did her best not to bristle, instead swallowing the mouthful of whiskey she'd taken before gathering her words. "I only wish to find who the thief is and get my pay. you know how these things are. I'm not accusing you or your family of anything, but I have my suspicions. If you could just give me some information-"

"I'll tell you what you wish to know, but I cannot assure that my answers will satisfy your curiosity. My family is clean of these crimes, but if you insist," Arya motioned, inviting her to speak once more. Miss Stark settled back in her chair, cradled the glass of whiskey in her hands, and watched her with eyes that spoke volumes of the things she'd seen.  
"The wolf fangs that are left behind, they are quite similar to those of the wolves that you house in your Wolfswood. Do you let others into that section of your property or is it restricted to those of your family?"

"Our estate is large, Agent, it's impossible to know if someone hopped the fence and snuck into the Wolfswood. You saw it yourself, the fences are easily slipped through, though I wouldn't see any reason beyond nosiness for doing such. The wolves found in the Wolfswood could be found anywhere in the North, not just in our plot of land. They could even be found in the stretch of Wolfswood that is not within our property." The Stark woman smirked, an almost predatory thing that sent shivers clawing up Dany's spine. She threw back the rest of the glass with ease. "If that's the best you have, I suggest you gather more evidence and return at a later time."

"I'm not finished, Miss Stark," Daenerys said, trying to regain some control over the conversation. "There is also the matter of the sightings corresponding nearly exactly with the excursions of your family. At any point your family was in the South, the Baratheons suffered a loss to their banks or the Lannisters lost another herd. And it was only when you were with the family, Miss Stark, that they occurred."

"Are you implicating me?"

"No. Are you implicating yourself?" 

"You're completely mad," Arya said. "I am certainly not the Wolf and neither is any of my family."

"Strange that the wolf is your sigil, isn't it? Strange that you take such pride in the thing claimed so easily by such a master outlaw," Daenerys retorted and she could see the Stark gritting her teeth. This was where Dany was best. If Arya was frustrated, she would slip up, provide her with information that could actually be useful. None of this dancing around matters. "If you could inform your local constable when your father returns, I'd like to speak to him about this. I thank you for your time." She made to get to her feet, setting both her feet on the floor and the half empty glass of whiskey on the table. This whole thing had been completely useless and had informed her only suspect of her intentions. 

"What would you do if it was me?" Arya asked suddenly. "In the end, I mean. You can't possibly believe that stealing from the Baratheons and Lannisters is a bad thing, not after all they've done."

"Spoken like a thief," Dany replied shortly. "You wish to discuss the motives of the thief you claim you aren't? I don't think I need to tell you how suspicious that is." Arya shrugged and met her gaze head on. 

"You think so?" Arya asked, and there was a shift in her expression. The wild look faded to something playful and Dany couldn't help but wonder at the sudden change. "It's worth discussion at the very least."

"How so?"

"You've heard of Robin Hood, I presume. Robbing the rich to feed the poor and all that. Have you ever considered that this Wolf character is doing the same thing? I've not heard any reports of the riches they stole showing up in large markets, only in the hands of starving Northerners. They can't be that bad if they do that." 

"I have, yes." In truth, she hadn't. She'd been hired by the Lannisters to track this thief and return the stolen wealth, be it money or the cattle that had originally been stolen. Motive didn't much matter to her beyond how it could help her catch the culprit. But she did think of those the Wolf had helped, getting the wealth ripped back away from them by the Lannister's muscle and didn't think it ever contributed in the long run. "I don't think it matters much."

"I think it matters more than you know," Arya said. "I'll see you out, I'm sure it's a long way back to wherever you're staying." Then the Stark woman got to her feet as well, shifting the chairs back into place. Dany watched her carefully, watched the ways she moved, but couldn't tell anything from it. Her body language was frustratingly void of any hints as to how she might be feeling. 

They passed through the mud room once more, and Dany didn't have time to see who Arya was yelling out before they were putting on their shoes and heading out the door. The sun was lower in the sky and Dany didn't even wish to look at her watch for fear that she'd lost more time than it had felt like. Arya didn't move to get her horse again, instead choosing to silently fall into step beside Dany, if slightly behind her. She moved like a shadow and Dany would have found it unnerving if she didn't have an inexplicable trust in the smaller woman. Despite the course of the afternoon, the conversation and the constant clash against her, Daenerys felt that the Stark wouldn't hurt her. 

When they made it back to the fence, Arya looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "You aren't going to give up the hunt, are you? No matter who stands in your way or the warnings I give you?"

"You never gave any warnings," Dany replied shortly. "It's my job to bring criminals to justice, nothing more." Arya shook her head and leaned in close, her breath brushing Dany's ear, another shiver shaking its way down the Targaryen woman's spine.

"There is so much more going on, Daenerys Targaryen, more than you could ever know. I advise that you leave this case to rest." And then she was gone, walking back towards the huge house in the center of the Stark estate, short brown locks billowing out behind her in the wind. And as she crested the hill, Dany saw a large dog appear, nose its head under the younger woman's hand before the two set back for the manor. 

A strange feeling soured Dany's gut, dread or something similar to it. How had the Stark woman known her name and why had she waited? She knew that it wouldn't be the last time she met Arya.


	2. The Wolf's Den

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note, this chapter is one of few that will be from Arya's perspective. We'll return to your normal Targaryen content next week. This is completely unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine. None of the characters belong to me either.

The moment Daenerys was off the Stark Estate, Arya felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. Nymeria walked along beside her, ever the faithful companion, but Arya didn’t pay her much mind. She was occupied, too occupied, truly, with thoughts of the Targaryen. It made her chuckle to think of the shock on the agent’s face when Arya had murmured her name into her ear. 

It hadn’t been that hard to tell. She knew the traits of the Targaryens, though she often hid most of her intelligence far better than most gave her credit for. She’d known it from the first time she’d seen Daenerys circled the Estate, and by the time they met, Arya had already had plenty of time to work out her identity. She was clever, Arya had to give her that, coming up with an excuse that hadn’t been quite so easy to see through in the immediate moment. Her brilliant hair and eyes had given her away easily, the brilliant purple of her irises shining in the sun until Arya had been forced to look away. 

“I should tell her to wear a disguise,” Arya mused to the wolf dog at her side. Nymeria gave a huff in response “Perhaps she’d be able to get more work done, then. I almost feel bad, she had to deal with everyone in Winter Town looking like the long lost queen of Westeros…” she shook her head. Such thoughts would get her nowhere and she really ought to be more worried about the Targaryen than she actually was. 

Arya took longer than she would have to get back home, wandering through the fields, mindful of the time as she always was. She was not eager to return home, sure that Sansa would be there and no doubt would be gushing about Margaery Tyrell as she had taken to doing recently. While Arya was glad that her object of devotion had shifted from the completely abhorrent Joffrey Baratheon, she was still completely uninterested in hearing Sansa go on and on and on as she was wont to do. At least she wouldn't have to also listen to Bran and his ramblings or deal with her mother's constant nagging.

"I'd best not completely disregard this Daenerys Targaryen," Arya told Nymeria as they wandered the perimeter. Nymeria was on guard, looking between their property and the outside, even when Arya rested a calming hand on her shoulders, fingers loosely gripping the fur there. "She might make things a tad difficult in the future and we wouldn't want that." She grimaced then. "Who does she think she is, showing up and trying to play at being morally superior? I'd bet the Lannisters employed her. She's one to talk." 

They continued walking well into the evening and only returned to the Stark home just as the sun was slipping below the horizon. Catelyn was still in the kitchen, presumably fixing dinner but Arya only toed off her boots before moving further inside, past where Sansa was sitting with, to Arya's lack of surprise, Margaery Tyrell. At least her sister was happy, which was a change from when she was with the Baratheon maniac. 

Still, Arya had no desire to hold a proper conversation with her sister's new obsession, so she merely nodded to the two of them before ascending the stairs, Nymeria on her heels. Of all the people in Winter Town and even in the North itself, Nymeria was the only companion she forever enjoyed the company of. She'd had the wolf dog since they were both young, Nymeria a mere puppy when Jon, her cousin, had bestowed the dog upon Arya. Arya considered the dog to be her best friend, forever better than any other person she'd ever been in contact with. 

"We need to sort out this Targaryen situation before everything completely falls apart," she said and Nymeria barked. Arya took it as agreement and she nudged open the door to her bedroom on the second floor. "The best way to distract a Pinkerton is by giving them another crime to focus on entirely." She flung open the doors of her wardrobe, bypassing all the clothes her mother had gotten for her almost immediately. They wouldn't do for this job, not in the slightest. After rummaging around for a long moment, her hand closed around the familiar and worn fabric of her cloak. She tugged it out, tossed it over her shoulder onto the bed (forever, stubbornly unmade) before looking back in her wardrobe to see if the rest of the Wolf's costume was still lurking about int he back. It had been a few weeks since her last use of it and she couldn't be sure that it hadn't been moved. She couldn't even remember much of the night other than crouching in a cart for half a day to get to her mark.

"Arya! Supper!" Rickon's voice rang clearly through the house and she smashed her head against the bar, stumbling back with a curse. Once she'd righted herself, tucked the cloak under her bed, she rushed down to see the rest of the family gathered around the table and waiting for her, expectant. She didn't even bother to apologize, instead taking a seat at the far end as she often did, with Rickon to her right and nothing to her left. It made for easy escape for which she was grateful. 

"I'm glad you could stay for dinner this evening, Ms. Tyrell," Catelyn said as they started to retrieve food. "I didn't realize you'd be staying in the North for so long. It isn't often those of the South find themselves quite so happy here." It may not have sounded strange to anyone other than those of the Stark family, but even Arya could tell that her mother was pointing the comment to Sansa.

"There's a lot of beautiful wildlife here, Mrs. Stark," Margaery said and Arya stifled a laugh, disguising it as a cough. Gods, Margaery was defying expectations. Perhaps she'd fit in among the Wolf Pack. "And I do have business to attend to, just not until the end of the week. I figured I'd visit Sansa while I was up here, seeing as we don't often get to see each other often anymore." Sansa gave her a brilliant smile, looking far too happy for them to be just friends. 

"It's certainly been a pleasure to see you again. I'd always hoped there'd be no hard feelings between our families," Catelyn said, and the table fell silent as everyone began to eat. There was nothing to say when there was food on plates, and Arya was always glad for the silence while she ate. It offered her a chance to slip away before anyone could question her. And she needed to get away even earlier tonight. If the Wolf was to strike, they'd have to do it before sunrise and Arya Stark would have to have just woken up then. She'd played this game before but never with the pressure currently hanging over her head:

Daenerys Targaryen.

"You had a guest today, didn't you, Arya?" Catelyn asked as Arya was just scraping her plate clean. The fork made an eerie screech in the sickening silence and Arya could swear that she heard the rest of the table breathing. Nymeria whined from her place at Arya's side, sensing her master's distress. 

"Yes, Mum, I did," Arya settled on after another long moment of awkward stares. "I was taking one of the horses out for the day and saw someone at the edges of the property. She was just in need of some water and a place to sit out of the sun before she continued on." No need to tell her mother that a Targaryen had dared to set foot in the Stark household. She'd never hear the end of it, especially if she let slip that she'd known Daenerys's identity the whole time she was in the house. 

"Ah," Catelyn said. "Well, I'm glad you weren't all alone out there. I've told you so many times to take an escort with you, at least one of your brothers or Sansa. It's not safe out there for you to be wandering around." She gave a worried frown and Arya grimaced internally. 

"I was alright, Mum," Arya muttered. "I had Nymeria with me, there's no one better at guarding than her." Nymeria barked as though to prove her point and Arya scooped up her plate. "May I be excused?"

"Of course," Catelyn said after a moment, looking between her and the dog as though they were planning something. "Make sure you write that letter to your father tonight. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you while he's down South."

Arya nodded eagerly, hopping up to wash the plate she'd used before moving back up to her room. Once she was sure the coast was clear (no meddling brothers or sisters to come and interrupt) she grabbed the last of the Wolf costume from where it had been stowed, stuffing it into a satchel before taking the cloak and throwing it over her shoulders. At the last moment, she turned to Nymeria, who watched her curiously.

"I've got to go again, girl," the Northern girl said, kneeling down to rub the dog behind the ears. "I'm sorry to leave you alone again so soon, but I've gotta get this woman off my tail. I'm so close to figuring out what the Lannisters are planning, I can't stop now. Can you act for me?" Nymeria's ears perked up and, as quietly as she can, Arya commanded in a firm voice. "Up on the bed, Nymeria." The dog whined then, realizing what Arya wanted. Still, a stern look from her master sent her leaping up into the bed. With care, Arya tucked the blankets around the dog, making a vaguely human shape before leaving a little hole near her head for Nymeria to stick her nose out of. "I'll be back as soon as I can, girl. Be assured."

Then she slipped out the window, gripping the ivy tendrils that were winding up the house. Her father always said he would cut them down or get someone to do it for him, but he hadn't yet. Arya was glad for it as she carefully clambered down until her feet finally touched the ground again. Bran had been the climber, never her, until the accident and she never looked forward to the escape or reentry route. 

She headed south once she secured a horse. The stable hands didn't ask questions and didn't tell her mother where she went. They probably didn't care, it wasn't like the Starks were the greatest of estate owners, just better than those that resided in the South. Arya knew she wouldn't get far. She only had an evening, after all, but she could get south of Winter Town and she knew of a small Lannister benefactor just beyond the borders of the town (it was better for them in one way or another, Arya wasn't quite sure how). She figured she'd make them her target and get back before morning to see if the Targaryen woman would show up again once word of the theft had circulated through the town.

As it always did, the weight of what she was about to do settled across her chest as she rode. The cloak about her shoulders kept the wind chill from her, but it did nothing to ease the dread souring her gut. She wouldn't be doing it if she didn't have to, of that she could be sure. Her parents had raised her well, it wasn't their fault that she'd strayed so far, even in the name of the greater good. And it was in the name of the greater good. The Lannisters and Baratheons had brought nothing but pain with their riches and they'd pay for harming so many innocents, Northern or Southern. 

So Arya had made it her mission to get to the bottom of whatever was happening and if she ended up giving back to the people...well, there wasn't any harm in that. If the Lannisters really were up to something and she was correct, one day she could clean about her identity and hope for forgiveness. If she was wrong...life on the run as an outlaw didn't seem like such a bad thing if she had Nymeria by her side. 

She arrived at her mark when the moon was high in the sky and she was swiftly running out of time. Dismounting away from the area, Arya made sure to mentally trace her route before moving in. If her information was correct (and it often was) she would find a simple storage shed on the far side of the property where she could gather what little evidence there was before filling her pockets with as much told as possible.

Bracing herself for what was to come, Arya slipped through the gaps in the fence and made her way across the property, teeth gritted in determination. Someone had to do this job and it may as well be her. 

~~~~~~~

There was a knock on the door three weeks after Arya returned from her evening excursion, which was startling. Had her father not returned home, she would have gone out, but Ned had insisted on keeping his family at hand. There was something worrying him, something that made him want to keep them on the estate, inside the house if he could manage. He insisted on riding with Arya every afternoon when she went to make her subtle checks for the Targaryen woman that had turned more to routine than anything else. She hadn't expected Daenerys to return, not in the early morning hours when only her father, Bran, and herself were awake, and certainly on her doorstep, twisting her hands.

It was Nymeria's deep bark that alerted them to their guest before she'd even knocked, but Arya had hushed the dog, hoping that the others hadn't woken. She answered the door as Ned was working in his study while Bran sat in the back garden, watching the world awaken from its slumber 

"I hadn't expected you to return," Arya said, blocking the doorway with her slight frame so Daenerys couldn't enter. "I knew you wouldn't give up, though I thought you'd finally surrendered your ridiculous ideas and trying to insist that I was the Wolf."

The Pinkerton was flushed, looking her up and down for a moment before her eyes apparently landed on Nymeria at her side. "I'm here to speak to your father," she said. "I received word that he returned home last week. I said to inform the constable."

"Slipped my mind," Arya said, though it certainly hadn't. Her father's return would be the perfect excuse for the Pinkerton. "You're here to see him then?"

"I invited Miss. Targaryen." Ned's voice was low but assertive and Arya tensed before slipping out of the way. Her father, teaming up with a Targaryen? Impossible. "Please, come in."

"Thank you, Mister Stark," Daenerys said, sliding past Arya into the house. Their eyes met for a long moment, Arya sure that hers were burning with an emotion that couldn't name. It was swirling in her gut, hot and almost like anger. "I'll speak to you later." The words were whispered and Ned gave no indication that he'd heard, leaving Arya to stare dumbly after Daenerys, trying to pry her eyes away from the sway of the woman's hips and the way the fabric of her trousers clung to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. As always, feel free to yell at me in the comments if I totally screwed up something!


	3. The Long Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys has an insightful meeting with Eddard Stark about the past, the present, and the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late! I'm writing this as I go, so my procrastinating ass didn't let me finish this until midnight. Hope you enjoy anyway! The usual disclaimers, with a heavy emphasis on the unbeta'd part. I'm really sorry for any mistakes.

Dany's meeting with Eddard Stark was terse at the beginning. They sized each other up, like a predator would its prey, though eventually Dany had to break the silence by adjusting her coat with a cleared throat. That seemed to snap Mister Stark out of whatever examination he was making of her and instead, he set a small, friendly but slightly closed off smile on his face.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you for a meeting," Ned said. Because it had been him that had called into Winter Town asking for her. He'd wanted to speak with her, and since she'd been planning the exact same thing, she'd agreed readily, planning it as soon as their schedules would allow. There was little progress on the newest robbery from the Wolf. It appeared that they believed the Lannisters had overstepped their bounds, reaching up into the North to garner some profit from what was quickly becoming a lucrative business in oil and, very occasionally, gold.

"I am, yes," Dany answered, sure to keep her tone neutral. "Though, in truth, Mr. Stark, I was planning on arranging a meeting when I learned that you arrived home. I visited here a few weeks ago, but you were in the South." Ned didn't seem surprised by that, instead sighing, and leaning back in his chair. Daenerys didn't dare ask what he was thinking, instead focusing on keeping her gaze off anything in the room but him. It was always better to maintain eye contact in situations like this. Daenerys didn't know Mr. Stark, but she'd heard stories of the cold Northerner. 

The man in front of her did not seem to be very cold and uncaring. He seemed tired, worn down by the world and the treacherous political maneuvers he'd had to make in his time. With Robert's Rush, a large gold rush that had brought life back into Westeros and situated Robert Baratheon at the head of the country as opposed to her ancestors, and dealing with the steady rise of the Lannisters...and the problems and Essos that most Westerosi men seemed to think was their business, he most likely had his hands full. 

"I'm not surprised by that," Ned said after a long moment. "I'd suspected as such when I heard you were in the area, most who travel so far do not do so for the beauty of the land. They always need something of me." There was an exhaustion in his voice, but he was in no way showing her weakness. Daenerys could see the bags under his eyes and the scars from a life well-lived. He soon began speaking again. "But I should let you explain what you are doing here rather than impose meaning upon you. So please, tell me, what is it that brings you so far North. Last I remember, you were stationed in Essos, tracking down Khal Drogo for some Pentosi man. Illyrio Mopatis?"

Daenerys couldn't help her grimace at the name and Ned gave a chuckle, the most cheerful sound she'd heard from the man so far. "Not a friend of yours then? Still good work, I hope."

"It was no better or worse than anything else," Daenerys said. "He paid well, and that is all I ever ask for. It is all I can ask for I am but a servant to the wages of whoever needs my services." It was the dirtier part of the job that had gotten better with her joining the Pinkertons. With an agency backing her, even one as shadowed as them, there was a bit of vetting on her part. She could choose who she worked for, which cases she'd take. The Drogo Case had only been for the money but this case...it was about the thrill of the mystery. And there was something now, a new element, one with wild hair and an unbridled tongue that made it even more interesting.

"I'm sorry," Ned said, surprisingly sincere. "It is never enjoyable, working for the whim of a richer man."

"That was quite a while ago," Dany said, surprised that his information was seemingly so outdated. "Khal Drogo was apprehended, tried and hanged about half a year ago." The wound still stung. No matter that he'd been a criminal, somewhere deep in her heart she had loved him and their last moments had not been pleasant. Both had said words to regret, but Dany had to carry their burden while Drogo go to rest and leave her memory to the rest of the world. They would remember him as a criminal, leader of one of the worst gangs that Essos had seen, but she'd known him as a loving man, bound by oaths that would have been deadly to break. She shook the memories away, focusing again on the present. "I'm here on a new case, one I think you may be familiar with." She heard Ned suck in a breath the moment she said the words. He knew.

"The Wolf, I must presume," he said. "I should have known someone would come about it, but I had hoped it would be a little longer. Though I suppose it is the Lannisters and they are never ones to be frivolous about their money..." He sighed, sinking into his chair. The way his brow pinched and his apparent exhaustion was very curious to Dany. "I'll tell you all I know."

"Thank you, sir," Dany said, already reaching for the notebook that she'd started carrying around. "I'll just started with what I've gathered so far-"

"It's not that much, correct?" Ned said. "You don't even have any idea where they are at the moment or where they plan to strike next or who they work for. If they work for anyone."

"I have my suspicions. If you'll leave the questions to me, we can both finish quickly and return to our days," Dany said, preparing herself for an intense and completely useless round of questions just like when she'd spoken to Arya what felt like ages ago. "I have to start with this question, though it's not because I don't trust you, but...do you have any idea as to who might be under the mask of the Wolf?"

"I don't," Ned said immediately. "Believe me, Ms. Targaryen, I'm as annoyed with this situation as you must be, and I'm not the one having to chase this person around in circles all over Westeros. My people may see this outlaw as the solution to their problems but they are only a temporary solution that will hurt us in the long run. And though I would love to provide you resources to track down this person and give them the justice they deserve, I don't have anyone to spare. There's...a lot going on at the moment."

"I understand," Dany said. "And if I believed any forces would be of assistance to me, I wouldn't hesitate to ask for back up. I came here alone for a reason, and it's not just because I find myself dissatisfied with most of the company." She spared herself a chuckle, that Ned returned half-heartedly. "I only asked because I have to start somewhere. Now, I know you don't know every person in the North, but if you could guess who was behind the robberies-"

"It would be one of the noble families, though I won't give any names. I don't know who would want to do such a thing, but if word escaped that I sent a Pinkerton on the trail of the new Robin Hood of the North, you could imagine what they'd do to my family." He grimaced and Dany gave a sympathetic hum. She hadn't thought about how her association with the Stark family could bring them into danger. She'd have to avoid giving their names up in the future. 

"Of course," Dany said, snapping back to the present. "I would never intentionally put your family at risk, Mr. Stark, I hope you know that."

"I believe you," Ned said. "But you have more questions?"

"Where do you believe the Wolf will strike next?" Dany asked, trying to settle back into the skin of Dany the interrogator. She'd let her control of this conversation slip too much, she needed to finish here and go back to speaking to Arya. Somehow, she had a feeling that the girl would know more about this situation that her father currently did.

"I'd find any Southern supporters or those who have close business ties with the Lannisters or Baratheons. Those seem to be the targets of this outlaw anytime they strike." He leaned forward in his chair, adjusting the way he sat.

"Are you aware that the fangs found at the scenes of the crime, the signature of this character as it may be, are very similar, if not identical, to those found in the wolves of your Wolfs Wood?" She asked, prepared for the same hostile response that Arya had given only a few weeks before.

"Clever that you're looking at the fangs," Ned said, which startled Dany a bit. She didn't like to be startled. "I wasn't made aware of this, but I cannot speak to my security. Unfortunately, many seem to slip through the cracks and the Wolfs Wood is easy to access out of our sight line."

It continued on like this, Daenerys asking the questions that she had, which weren't a lot, and Ned giving his most helpful answers, most of which weren't useful at all to the situation. He was less hostile than Arya, but clearly eager to finish the meeting. There weren't any more questions, and when Dany snapped her notebook closed, he asked, "Is that all you wished to speak to me about?" 

"Yes sir, but I still don't understand why you called this meeting," Dany said. She'd gotten what she wanted out of this bargain, but he'd barely asked any questions, per her request.

"I suppose I do owe you an explanation." He heaved a sigh, one that Dany could feel resonate in her chest. There was obviously something weighing heavily on him, but when he shifted in his chair, she found herself paying close attention to whatever he was about to say next. "I must admit that I am concerned for your safety. I will not pretend to hold any love for you. Our families have constantly been at odds with each other, but in this matter I believe our interests to be somewhat aligned. Robert Baratheon is a vengeful man, he blames your blood for what happend to my sister and I fear he will send someone after you to attempt to murder you."

"I am under the protection of the Lannisters," Dany said automatically, trying not to let her concern show. She was excellent at that. "Anyone who harms me picks a fight with them, surely he knows this."

"Only you are on the trail of the most notorious and uncatchable criminal in decades. It could easily be explained that you are their victim. Robert wouldn't have to worry about you taking revenge for his part in your brother's death and the Lannisters never have to give up any of their precious gold." Ned shook his head, rubbing his brow. "I am too old for these games. A younger man may find it exciting, but I have a family to care for, children to raise. I just ask that you be careful with what you do, for your sake and mine. I'll help you however I can, provide information or men to assist your manhunt."

"I'll do my best to make sure your family name is cleared," Dany replied, a twinge of guilt twisting itself into her stomach. Though her best lead pointed at his youngest daughter, she had a feeling that she'd never be able to prove it. This whole case was a series of circles that Dany was chasing herself in, perhaps that was probably why the Lannisters had hired an Essosi Pinkerton as opposed to the many that already resided in Westeros. Her being the descendant of a despised blood line was the icing on their cake. "Is that all you wished to speak to me about?"

"Yes," Ned said, though he looked as though he wanted to say more. Perhaps there was more to be said. "Just be cautious, Daenerys. There are many who would benefit from seeing your body escorted home on a ship."

"Why would you help me, Mr. Stark?" Dany asked. "My brother did steal your sister away and marry her. Surely you should hate me as much as Robert Baratheon does?"  
"You were a child when it happened," Ned said as they walked to the doors of the study. "I do not blame the child for the crimes of their parent or family. That is the old way. There is nothing to be achieved that way. Feel free to look about the estate if it will help with your investigation." She nodded and opened the door, leaving him to return to his seat. The moment the door fell shut behind her with a soft click, Arya Stark was in front of her, eyes blazing.

"We need to talk," she said immediately, taking Dany's hand without preamble, tugging her from the house. Despite herself, Daenerys felt her cheeks heating for a moment before dread washed over her, cold as an icy bath. What could the Stark girl possible want with her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you want to leave a kudos or a comment please feel free to do so. They make my day.


	4. Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya takes Daenerys to the Wolfswood and they have an argument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I churned this out really quick so I'm sorry if it's shit. I wrote it in an hour of blazing inspiration, read through it once to make sure the syntax was decent and then here we are, so that should be a warning.
> 
> There's one more chapter of Dany and Arya interacting alone before I start bringing in the rest of this cast. I'm going to try to have that chapter up by the end of the week, but that's really dependent on how much schoolwork and motivation I get. Anyway, you didn't come here to listen to me ramble in the fourth wall, you came for more Daenerys and Arya content, so please enjoy.

Arya's hand was clammy and her grip was tight, almost uncomfortably so. Dany winced as she was tugged down the steps, trying not to trip over her own feet. Any time she opened her mouth in the attempt to start a conversation, she found that she didn't know what to say. So she let the words fall silent between the two of them. They were walking across the entire Stark estate, towards the corner of the plot that held the Wolfswood. Dread settled in her gut like stone and she hoped beyond hope that this wouldn't be the last she saw of the world.

"I'm not killing you," Arya said. "I'm not that kind of a person. But I want to be assured that we will not be overheard." Her voice was cold, even more so than it had been before. Dany briefly wondered if coming to see Eddard Stark was a bad decision, but it wasn't up to Arya to decide whom she couldn't and could speak to. That was her decision alone, so she kept her lips sealed.

She saw the tension in the other woman's shoulders, however, and saw the way her jaw was set, something like worry sparkling in her eyes. Arya probably thought she was good at disguising her feelings, but Dany found that it was getting easier and easier to read the other woman. She didn't know if that was a good thing, or if it was something to be ashamed of, but she knew it would probably come in handy in the coming moments.

When they reached the edge of the Wolfswood, Arya let the pace slow and she shook her head. Short hair went in all directions and Dany found herself admiring the sharp planes of Arya's face before she remembered herself, where she was, where they were. This was a serious matter. Despite their slower pace, they continue further and further into the forest, sunlight fading behind them like a distant memory. Dany couldn't suppress the shudder of utter fear that ripped through her and Arya barked out a laugh.

"The wolves won't hurt you," she said, voice confident. There was a sparkle in her eyes, a gleam that Dany had never seen. It spelled only danger, no matter what way Dany chose to look at it. "Nymeria is just behind us, and she won't let anyone hurt us. They respect her here, if that's worth anything to a dragon like you." Dany fought the urge to bristle, and instead inhaled sharply, glaring at the trees around her. Of course the Stark girl would choose to be cheeky when she was scared and threatening when Dany had an ounce of confidence in herself. She should have known,

"I hope you do have a reason for dragging me all the way out here, especially without any warning," Daenerys said as they slowed to a stop. ARya had chosen somewhere that allowed sunlight to break through the tops of the trees, drowning her in a golden light. Dany tried her best not to stare. "What's so important that you would bring me out here, Miss Stark?"

"Cut the shit," Arya snapped after a moment. "Why did you come back to talk to my father? I thought I told you to watch yourself, to leave the case be. For the Gods sake, do you know what happens to all the other Pinkertons who have come after the Wolf?"

"Why don't you tell me yourself?" Dany asked. "I do not appreciate being threatened, Miss Stark-"

"Just call me Arya," she said. They were standing toe-to-toe. Outside the house, all rules were off the table. She would have to prove herself just as strong as this Stark if she wanted to gain any kind of respect. "You certainly know that they get killed, you don't strike me as the type who would take a case without any kind of research. And yet you're still pursuing this." The younger woman fixed her with a glare. "I don't want you returning to my home."

"Your father invited me," Dany said in reply. "You had no say in my initial visit." They stood like that for a long moment, staring each other down before Arya broke away, running a hand through her cropped hair. Dany watched her closely, waiting to see her go for a knife or a weapon of some kind. Instead, Arya whirled about to face her again, voice sharp like broken glass.

"You are to leave my family alone," she said. "We have nothing to do with this case and I'm sure you don't want the entire North to side against you and your investigation."

"Are you threatening me?" Daenerys asked, startled at the measures that the girl had stooped to. "Because if you are, I assure you that even if you raised an army against me, I would continue. I know my job and I will finish it."

"And what will you do when you capture the Wolf? Will you string them up in the middle of Winter Town? Will you turn the North against the South because you needed a paycheck? Because that's what will happen if you bring their folk hero to Southern justice. And the blood of whatever conflict ensues will be on your hands." 

"Isn't it the job of your family to ensure that such things will not happen?" Daenerys asked, trying not to be snide with the younger girl. However many years Dany had on her, Arya was clearly articulate if a little too impassioned. "I take no responsibility for doing the job that I was asked to do. It is not my fault that I require money to live and it is not my fault that the Wolf has stolen so much from the South that they would pursue the kind of justice that you are talking about."

"It will be your fault," Arya said, shaking her head. "You don't understand the North like I do, you don't know what they are capable of and-"

"I do not know what they are capable of? I believe that you don't know what I'm capable of," Dany said, tired of being talked down to. "I know what your family did to mine, the hand that it had in the death of my brother. I know that the blood between our families is stark against the grass. But you do not know me, Arya Stark. You may think you know me, you may have heard some of the things that I have done but you have no idea what I can do. I suggest you tell me whether or not you are the Wolf."

"Why does it matter whether I am or not?" Arya challenged, meeting her fire with a cool calm of her own. "You are already convinced, you have evidence and the Lannisters and Baratheons would love to harm my father in any way that they can. There is no justice in this world, Daenerys Targaryen. I thought you would know that."

"I do know," Dany said, taking her words as enough of a confession. "But surely you know that what you're doing is wrong? Stealing and returning to the poor is not the way to change anything that is going on. The Lannisters still hold however much money they wish, they still have so much power over Westeros. All you've done is increase tension between the North and the South. Any conflict that arises would be on your hands."

That was when Arya lunged for her, grabbing the lapels of her coat. Dany felt fear spike through her, clenching her heart in its grip. The other woman was so close, Dany could see the little flecks of blue in the light grey of her eyes. There was a moment of pure silence, even from the world around them as Arya figured out what to do. The struggle was clear in her gaze, her trembling hands that were gripping so tightly. The fear subsided as a minute passed and Arya had done nothing but stand there, holding her jacket, trying to figure out what to do with her. Dany found herself slowly stepping back, trying to put distance between them. The moment she tried to, however, Arya tugged her closer, holding something back.

"What are you going to do?" Dany finally challenged, watching her closely. Arya shoved her away then, hard enough to make her stumbled and fall back. She landed in the grass with a soft whump, a small exhale of surprise escaping her lips. There was nothing to do but sit there while Arya paced the field, running a hand through her hair, muttering. Dany watched her like she would watch a caged animal, a certain awe blossoming in her chest as well as a healthy dose of fear constantly spiking through her veins. She was under no impression that Arya was going to be kind to her, merciful.

"You're going to tear my family apart with this," Arya said finally, speaking for the first time in what felt like eternity. "If they find out that I'm-that you-that I-" She cut herself off with a grunt. Dany was watching the emotion play across her face live, watching it go from anger to horror to shame and back to anger, like a vicious cycle. Dany wondered if the other girl would be able to drag herself out of it.

"I'm trying my best not to," Dany said. "I just want to know the truth, I want to figure out who is committing these crimes and who I have to put behind bars to achieve justice-"

"It won't be justice," Arya said, shaking her head. "No, it won't be justice. It'll be a blood bath, because whatever happens out there, down South, it will spark everyone here into rebellion. And a war will happen and-"

"We can stop it from happening-" Dany found herself saying, just wanting to calm the girl down. "You just have to take a breath and we'll figure out how to achieve justice."

Arya shook her head again, shifting her weight constantly until she took off into the Wolfswood, escaping through a gap in the trees. Dany moved to go after her, lurching to her feet but Nymeria blocked the way that Arya had gone, snarling viciously at her, lips pulled back to reveal white teeth. Dany wanted to take that as a warning, but instead she carefully approached the wolf, holding a hand out. 

"I want to help her," Dany said quietly. "Please, let me go after her." She was talking to a bloody wolf, but she didn’t care because the Wolf was running away and Dany was afraid she would do something drastic. 

Nymeria huffed and gave what Dany could only call a nod before dashing off into the woods, Dany hot on the wolf's trail, hoping she got to Arya in time. .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading y'all. Feel free to leave a kudos or a comment, it always makes me feel better. Remember to stay safe and wash your hands. Until next time.


	5. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany and Arya finally sit down and talk like civilized people. A deal is struck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Two chapters in one week? That's right folks, i've somehow managed to drag two chapters out of the depths and wanted to give this one to you early. The next one should be more on time (ie next week) so enjoy this garbage.

Dany found herself breathless even moments into the run. Nymeria was paces ahead of her, Dany could barely make out her form as they ran, trees starting to blur into geen masses at her sides. Catching up to Arya could prove to be impossible with how much of a head start she'd been given. Even so, Dany knew she couldn't give up, not yet.

There was so much to lose if she let the Stark girl get away, even more so if she allowed the Wolf to slip away. It was getting harder to doubt that Arya was the Wolf. All of her behavior pointed to that conclusion however much Dany wanted it to be false. Dany didn’t quite know why she wanted it to be false, didn’t want to break that part of her brain down just yet. Focus on getting to Arya. Focus on getting to Arya.

Finally, Nymeria gave a long, bellowing howl and Dany stumbled to a stop, doubled over and panting. There was nothing ahead of her but trees, but her vision was starting to blur a bit. She'd never run so fast and so far in her life and it would take more than a moment to recover. Her pulse thundered in her ears, almost as loud as it had been when Arya had gripped her by the shirt and- 

Before her brain could veer off in a direction that she didn’t approve, she remembered where she was. Swallowing her gasping breaths to make as little noise as possible, Dany let the world come back to her.

She could hear another set of ragged gasps however, ones that didn't sound like they came from a wolf and, when she looked up, allowed her vision to focus, she could see Arya Stark leaning against a tree, head tipped back against the bark, breathing heavily into a cupped hand.

"Nymeria?" the girl asked, her voice sounded quiet and almost pitiful if Dany didn't know better. "I know you're there, girl, it's alright. You can come out." There was a flash of tail before Nymeria left Dany’s sight line. 

Dany allowed her the moment, deciding it would be best to let the girl speak to her wolf or whatever she did before Dany intruded. She didn't want to be killed, have her throat torn out by either one of the two. It seemed duly likely. So instead, she listened to the Stark girl speak in that quiet tone, one that Dany had never heard out of her. It was startling to hear it come from someone who had only just been yelling and threatening.

"I hope you kept her from getting to me, girl," Arya said. Nymeria gave what could only be described as a grumble before Arya continued. "She's so close to use, she's got the scent and I don't think she's going to let go. The best thing to do is keep running and hope she doesn't reveal the secret." Another sound from the wolf, this one sounding more like a growl. Dany could practically hear Arya bristle. "You don't know what it could do to us, girl. Believe me, I don't want to leave my parents behind any more than you do, but it's impossible to stay if that Targaryen is going to expose me. And we can’t risk that." There was a rustle and Dany peaked around the tree she was hiding behind to see Arya kneeling in the grass beside the wolf, hands buried in the fur at her neck.

"We're going to have to run. Maybe I can say goodbye to Sansa and Jon before we have to go. We can go back to the house, I'm sure there's time to stop and get supplies. I don't think Daenerys will be back there for a little while. You can even say goodbye to Summer and the others.” Dany vaguely remembered hearing that the other Stark children had received wolves similar to Arya, but it hadn’t really registered. “I gave her the best warning I could, given the circumstances." Dany watched, fascinated, as the persona of the wild girl faded away to a girl who looked so...terrified. Her heart started to ache, but she didn't reveal herself.

"I heard her talking to Dad, though," Arya broke off, worrying her lip. "D'you think he knows? The way he was speaking…” Dany could practically feel the shudder that went through the Wolf at that. “I don't want him to get in trouble for keeping my secret. Imagine what they would do to him if they knew what his daughter was getting up to. They'd kill him for sure." Dany watched the girl shake her head, pressing her face into the fur of the wolf. Dany couldn't hear the next words she uttered, didn't know if there were next words to be uttered, but she had to do something about this.

"That doesn't have to happen," she said, stepping out from behind the tree. Immediately, Arya jumped away from Nymeria, yelping in surprise. It was a surprisingly vulnerable sound from the wild girl, but the shocked look morphed quickly to anger, burning in grey eyes.

"I should have known you followed me," Arya said. "I assume you heard all of that. You gonna tie me up now? Take me back to your lion masters?" She was tense, arms braced at her sides. She looked ready to run, but Dany held her hands up in the hopes of placating the Wolf, approaching slowly.

"I think we can work out a deal," she said, keeping her voice even, if a bit light. Arya's eyes narrowed. "Look, I don't like working for the Lannisters anymore than you like me working for them. But they're paying my check and my hands are tied in terms of what I can do. This investigation will either be successful or the death of me. I hold no illusion that the Lannisters will spare me if I cannot catch the Wolf. If I cannot catch you."

Arya regarded her, relaxing the slightest bit. She was still on edge, her entire body poised to run. Dany didn't make any more moves to get closer to the other girl, instead staying where she was. 

"You want to work together?" Arya asked, as though the very idea of it were absurd. Dany would have called it such only a few weeks ago but there was a lot going on that she didn't know and she wanted to learn. "You really expect me to trust you?"

"We both hate the Lannisters-"

"They're putting food in your mouth," Arya snapped, already starting to back away. Dany couldn't lose her, so just before she predicted the Wolf to run, she lunged forward, grabbed Arya's wrists, held her tight as she tugged to try and get away. The other woman was strong, but Dany was determined, holding on as tightly as she could to keep Arya from running away from her.

"They may be paying for me, but I do not side with them," Dany grunted. "Would you listen to me for a second? Please. There's no harm in letting me explain myself. I'm not going to arrest you." She took a breath, leveling her voice intentionally. She had to hope this would work, there would be no other options if it didn't. "You were right," she admitted and Arya stopped struggling, looking startled. "You were right about it all." 

"About what?" Arya asked. She had the right to be suspicious and Dany didn't waste any time on elaboration, glad that the Wolf had stopped struggling for a moment to listen to what she had to say.

"About the fallout. If I were to arrest you, who knows what the Lannisters would do to you? What they would demand of the North, of your father." She sighed, shaking her head. "I couldn't knowingly do that, not again." Arya looked intrigued, but Dany moved on too quickly to let the other woman dissect that statement. This was about Arya, not about Dany. "So I'm proposing an alliance. You want to take down the Lannisters, to bring an end to whatever corruption is happening. I want to bring justice to Westeros. This is the best way to achieve the goals that we both want."

"Your kind of justice is killing," Arya said. "And though I think the Lannisters would deserve it, every last one of them that's not a call you should be allowed to make. I certainly can't make it."

"But you can decide who gets to keep whatever money?" Dany asked and Arya shot her a glare that seemed almost petulant. "I want proof of the things that are going on in King's landing that you're claiming are so corrupt. You can get that to me, I'll help you bring them all to justice. Proper justice, whatever that is." She leaned back, let go of one of Arya's hands, holding out her own. "Deal?"

Arya looked reluctant, gaze shifting constantly between Dany's eyes and her hand before she shook it. Dany had never had a chance to notice it, but th eWolf's hands were rough under her own, calloused in ways that Dany would not have expected. They stood like that in the clearing,staring at each other, hands clasped together before Nymeria huffed at their side and Arya bloody jumped away from her, shaking out her hand.

"Deal," she said finally. "But I can't get the proof unless I go back down South and steal again." Dany grimaced. Being complacent in bringing down a conspiracy (or being part of a conspiracy? she didn't quite know where this fell) was different to being complacent to a robbery, but she supposed that if it was for the greater good, she couldn't object. 

"Do you need help?"

Arya looked properly startled at that and shook her head almost immediately. It seemed she was as eager to sully Dany's hands as she was to sully her own, which was little. Good. Dany knew she hadn't actually meant that, but she didn't want to give Arya the impression that she wasn't ready to go all in for this.

"I suppose I should finally confess to everything, huh?" Arya asked after another long moment. "You're sticking your neck out for me...literally, I suppose. So the least I could do is let you put your investigation to rest, even if you can't tell anyone yet."

"Am I right?" Dany asked, unable to resist from asking. There was something about knowing, she needed to know whether or not she was correct about it all. "Are you the Wolf?" It felt strange, after all this time, to ask the question aloud. She'd been operating under the assumption that Arya was the Wolf for so long that it was strange to think she wasn't. The worry that she'd been all wrong about this, that she'd been pursuing an innocent woman was washed away when Arya nodded.

"Yeah," she said, then considered for a moment. "Yeah, I am. The Wolf, I've been committing the robberies."

"And the deaths...." Dany didn't want to ask, but she couldn't stop her mouth from forming the question. Judging by Arya's wince, she was spot on with her assumption and any pride that she would have felt was replaced by an indistinguishable sense of nausea.

"I didn't want to," Arya said. "And I never did it, it was always Nymeria. They usually snuck up on me during one of my hits and Nymeria would just defend me." She clenched her hands into the wolf's fur, Nymeria having sauntered over in the midst of the sentence. She fixed Dany with an unimpressed stare and Dany found herself unsettled deeply by the yellow eyes of the wolf. "But I knew I couldn't kill you, that it couldn’t be allowed to keep going. That I couldn't keep going." She shook her head and Dany nodded.

"I'm not going to arrest you," she said quietly, as if trying to offer the assurance. "But I do hope you know that this last robbery...that's what it has to be. The last one. There's nothing more to be done unless you stop because I couldn't defend you. I can't defend you now, there's too much you've done wrong..." It was Drogo all over again.

"Probably going to end up in jail after all of this anyway, aren't I?" Arya asked, and Dany knew it was meant to be sarcastic. She couldn't keep the image of Arya locked up in her brain, however, didn’t want to. "What I deserve and such, breaking the law. As long as we take down the Lannisters. If there was anyone who deserved justice..." she trailed off, fixing her determined glare somewhere over Dany's shoulder. 

Suppressing a shudder, the Pinkerton held out a hand as an offering. Arya stared down at it and then back up at her, head cocked to the side in an adorable gesture of confusion. 

"We need to head back," Dany said by way of explanation. "Your family is probably wondering where you've gone, especially with me trailing along behind you."

"Most of them weren't awake," Arya said, but she did take Dany's hand. They started to make their way back, hand in hand in the Wolfswood and Dany would have found it slightly romantic if it were under any other circumstances. They parted ways outside the Wolfswood.

"There's no need for the other Starks to see you," Arya said. "Bad enough you had to meet my father." She rubbed the back of her neck, sheepish, and Dany found herself wondering how it was that this woman could be anything other than the adorably, almost shy, wild person she was. How could she rob and kill?

"I'll be by in a few days to talk about our next plans," Dany said. "Try not to run off between now and then."

Arya nodded before bidding her farewell properly, little more than a pat on the back before she was loping across the fields with Nymeria at her side. Dany went in the opposite direction, hopping over the fence. She couldn't see the large manor belonging to the Starks, but she could imagine it in all its looming, comforting glory. There was no way she was going to risk that for a group like the Lannisters. Stealing her resolve, she set out to walk back to Winter Town. There was someone that she needed to talk to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all know what to do. Hit the kudos if you feel inclined and leave a comment if you want to yell at me for how trash I am. Next chapter we'll get to see the rest of the cast really come into play and the plot really kicks in. Thanks for sticking with me this long.


	6. Confidants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Arya and Dany get some advice from those closest to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys. so sorry this is late, i got swamped with some stuff earlier this week. however, i made it up to you with a longer than normal chapter as well as both dany and arya's perspectives. don't own game of thrones and i don't have a beta, so i'm kinda all over the place. enjoy!

“Had a good morning?” Sansa was waiting for her by the door, hair disheveled, clothes wrinkled, and looking oh so proud of herself. Arya resisted the urge to snap back, knew that her sister was probably worried. “I think you and I need to talk.”

“Fetch your shoes, then,” Arya retorted, unable to let go of that little bit of sibling rivalry. “I’m assuming that you won’t want to talk in the house.” There were too many ears, even with John and Robb gone. Rickon probably wasn’t up, but if he was, he would be eavesdropping and it would be much easier to spot him if they were outside. 

That, and Sansa didn’t like wandering about the property like Arya did. If Arya was going to have to be interrogated again, she’d try to make it happen in a place where she held the upper ground. A little voice niggled at the back of her mind, questioning whether that had worked so well last time, but she blocked it out, waiting on the porch for her sister to get ready. If she was lucky, she’d have ten minutes.

A few moments later, there was a thump of boots from behind her and Arya glanced over her shoulder, startled to see Margaery Tyrell on the porch, a mug of coffee in her hands. She looked more put together than Sansa, but Arya tastefully chose to ignore the small bruise slightly visible on her collarbone.

The other woman looked down, eyebrow raised, as though surprised at Arya's presence. Arya regarded her with little more than disinterest. She still considered Margaery little more than an outsider that happened to be close to Sansa. They'd not had the opportunity to speak in depth, and it was an experience that Arya found herself not missing. She didn’t need anyone but her family.

"Early morning?" Margaery asked and Arya simply nodded. Maybe it would make her go away quicker. To Arya's disdain, however, Margaery took a seat beside her, legs actually able to touch the ground more than Arya's could. The smaller woman fought jealousy. "I get the feeling you don't like me."

"Quite blunt, aren't you?" Arya chose to reply. “And I don’t know what drove you to that opinion.”

"I've heard it's the best way to speak to you," Margaery replied with a shrug, taking a long sip of coffee. Arya fought offence at that. Anyone who listened to those stupid rumors about her were idiots and deserved any gruffness she could throw at them. "I understand completely, I'm a stranger and with all the experience that Sansa has had with romantic partners I'd be suspicious of me too." Arya had to chuckle at that, though it sounded hollow to her own ears. Margaery continued on after a long moment. "You needn't worry. I have no intentions of lingering much longer here."

“Is that for Sansa’s benefit or yours? Have you grown tired of your fling?”

"She's a wonderful person, your sister,” Margaery said by way of answering the question. “Much too good to be involved in all the politics of the South. I recognized that when she was with Joffery, before everything went down. Sansa doesn't have the right strength to remain down there. She belongs here, no matter how much she wants to belong in the South." She took a long sip of her coffee, as though she'd not just imparted a strangely critical analysis of her bed partner. “It’s for her benefit. I never saw her as a fling, it was always...much more than that. But I don’t want her to get hurt.” 

"You love her, don't you?"

"Who wouldn't," Margaery said, and she set her mug to the side. She fixed Arya with a serious gaze then. "And that is why I cannot remain here and I cannot take her with me. She is too brilliant and kind to change in the way that being down South would change her. Your father understands." She turned her gaze back to the horizon. 

Something felt wrong in Arya's gut.

"You've spoken to him about this?"

"I'm about to break his eldest daughter's heart, I better have a good reason for it," Margaery said and there was a shuffle from behind the door. She glanced over her shoulder, the serious expression from before melting into a fond annoyance. "I'd best be going. I do hope we get a chance to speak before long." 

Arya opened her mouth, intent on returning the sentiment, but Sansa was already walking out the door and Margaery was already getting to her feet, exchanging places with Sansa. Arya couldn't' say anything and instead hummed quietly, thinking over what she'd been told.

"Right, let's get a move on," Sansa said. Arya got to her feet, tipping over the discarded mug. It was empty. 

They were moving soon after that, away from the house. Arya didn't speak for a long time, and Sansa didn't ask the questions that were so obviously on her tongue. It was something Arya appreciated, yes, but she knew that would change. Eventually, Sansa apparently couldn't hold it anymore.

"Care to explain what you were doing with Daenerys Targaryen this morning? And why she was speaking to Father?" Sansa looked nonchalant, gazing up at the trees, but there was an edge to her tone.

"There were matters that we needed to discuss," Arya said, trying to remain as vague as possible. Then she paused, her step faltering for a moment. "She's attempting to find the Wolf. She thought Father and I could help."

"What could you possibly help with in regards to the Wolf?" Sansa asked, incredulous. "From what I've heard, no one's even seen them before, let alone Father and certainly not you."

Arya fought the instinct to bristle. "Father is in charge of many things in the North. It makes sense that someone pursuing a northern outlaw would want to speak to him." She was walking so many fine lines at the moment, it was getting hard to step in the right direction. 

"Still don't understand why she'd speak with you," Sansa replied. "Unless you're a suspect. You're not a suspect, are you?"

Time to tell the truth or lie once more. It was getting harder to make the right decision, and she bit her lip for a moment, considering. There was really only one path forward, but that didn't mean she wanted to take it.

"Little more than a suspect," she murmured, hoping that it would go unnoticed. She wasn't ever so lucky. 

"What do you mean by that?" Sansa asked, and in the silence that stretched on, there was a suspicious hum from her, something that sounded of disappointment. "Arya, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"No," Arya said immediately, wincing both at how quickly it had come out and how suspicious it sounded. "Well, alright. But you can't tell anyone, not even Dad. This is really important."

"Of course," Sansa said and ARya shook her head, coming to a stop. Sansa followed suit, brow pinched in confusion. 

"I'm being serious, Sans. You can't tell anyone and...you have to promise me that no matter what you think, you'll let me explain?" 

"You're starting to scare me, Arya," Sansa said. Her eyes were darting about, no doubt drinking the apprehension and myriad of other emotions that Arya was sure was playing across her face like the symphony in her heart. "What is it?"

"I'm-" The words caught and she shook her head. This was too hard, she shouldn't have agreed to this but there was no going back. She'd thought that admitting to Daenerys would have made it easier but it was different. So different. Daenerys had been relentlessly pursuing the point, she'd been so sure it was just a confirmation. This was a confession, a proper one. "I'm the Wolf."

The wildlife around them went silent and Sansa's confusion shifted to befuddlement, her face pinching in every spot it could before Arya's words finally registered. Arya could see the dawning of realization across her face, knew that this was a threshold she couldn't back up from. 

"You're kidding," Sansa said after a moment. "You can't be."

"I am," Arya said. "I've got the proof, the cloak, the fangs. I could tell you every location that they-that I robbed." She saw the temptation play across Sansa's face, hoped that she wouldn't actually ask. They waited for another few moments and Arya couldn't stand the stretching silence. "I get it, asking you to keep this kind of a secret is huge and I probably shouldn't have told you but-"

"It's okay," Sansa said. "Though I don't understand....Daenerys Targaryen suspected you of being the Wolf so she came to talk to Father and then you went on a long with her? And you thought it would be a good idea?"

"I was the one who asked her to walk with me," Arya said. "She probably wanted to leave, but I felt the need to...to make sure she didn't say anything."

"You threatened her?" Sansa asked and at Arya's nod she drew a hand down her face. "Gods, Arya, what is wrong with you? You can't just threaten Pinkertons. What if she comes after you?"

"We reached an agreement," Arya said. "A fairly good one. She's...she's not going to say anything if I can prove a few things. Big things, but I think I can do it." In fact, speaking with Margaery again might prove the best for this. She filed the idea away for later. "Can you please keep this a secret, just for a little while? Dad would-"

"I will," Sansa said. "But you owe me, big time."

"Whatever you need," Arya said, not really thinking the words through before she spoke them. That couldn't possibly come back to bite her, could it? "Now, please, let's talk about something different. Anyone could be listening." She glanced over her shoulder, glad that she'd been in a fairly open plot of the land. No one seemed to be watching, but she'd never be sure. She needed to stop making confessions out in the open.

"What do you want to talk about then? Perhaps Daenerys?" Sansa's wiggle of her eyebrows was completely ignored by Arya.

"How about Margaery?" she replied, and they fell into the easy conversation that had only truly emerged for them in the last few years. She and Sansa hadn't initially gotten along in their youth, but once Sansa had returned from the Joffery incident, they'd both put in more of an effort to try and make things at least peaceable between them. 

While Sansa raved about Margaery, Arya looked about the estate, wondering, perhaps pointlessly, if Daenerys would make a return. 

"-a few nights ago she took me to- Arya, are you even listening?" Sansa didn't sound annoyed, perhaps a little amused, but Arya looked back to meet her eyes. She could feel herself flushing.

"Of course," Arya bluffed. "You were just talking about one of your dates with Margaery. Where did she take you?"

Sansa shook her head. "Nevermind. Care to explain why you're head is so far away right now? Leftover stress from this morning?"

"Just thinking," Arya said. "There's a lot that I need to do for the next time I see Daenerys..."

"You should call on Jon," Sansa said. "I bet that whatever you need, he'll find a way of getting it. The Night's Watch is helpful that way." The Night's Watch, another agency completely dedicated to finding outlaws and making them pay penance for their crimes. Usually death. And Arya had spent too long avoiding a noose, she wasn't going to walk up to a group of outlaw hunters with her hands extended and her neck waiting. 

"I don't think that would be the best of ideas," Arya said. "You know how he is about things like this. If he knew-"

"You don't have to tell him," Sansa said. "Just ask him what you need to know? You two are practically inseparable, he doesn't need a reason to help you out. You can even mention that Daenerys Targaryen is after the information. It might kick start him into action."

"I suppose you're right..." Arya trailed off, though she still felt a little wrong thinking about it. Taking advantage of Jon like that...it wasn't good. But none of this was good, that was the point. She wasn't good, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that she was. 

"Of course I'm right," Sansa said. "Now let's get back before we get a ton of questions about what we were doing." They looped back and started moving towards the large home, Arya already contemplating how she'd ever be able to ask Jon for the information that she needed. Perhaps it would be better to go through Margaery. Decisions, decisions. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She'd already sent the telegraph, but Daenerys knew that, realistically, waiting for a reply would be completely foolish. That didn't stop her from setting up shop just outside the Post Office, waiting for the response.

After her very insightful discussion with Arya Stark, Dany had walked in an almost drunken haze back to Winter Town. It had been exciting, finally pinning down the Wolf and getting a proper confession, but the victory was tainted by everything else that loomed over her head. That's why she was calling in a favor of an old friend.

Missandei wasn't necessarily a part of the Pinkertons (they'd barely let Dany in on account of her being a woman, but letting a Naathi woman in was beyond question) but she often assisted Dany on cases. Missandei resided somewhere in the limbo between consultant and actual agent. They'd met just after the Drogo Case when Dany was in desperate need of a translator. Everything had worked out well from there and they'd become close friends. Dany didn't know of anyone that she would confide in more.

Which was why she'd sent her a message, desperate to speak to her about everything that had been going on. Though Dany didn't often get Missandei involved unless it was for professional reasons, she needed someone to speak to about this and she knew that the Naathi woman could be trusted. They’d been friends for the half year, but it felt like an ancient friendship, one that had been written in the stars. 

Luckily for her, Missandei had been in the North for business other than the case (some trading deal or another that she was working with someone on) and it wouldn't be long until the other woman arrived. Dany wasn't even really expecting another telegram, perhaps a confirmation that Missandei was on her way but nothing more than a few words. 

So, she sat and waited most of the day, getting up at midday to get some food before taking her post back by the Post Office. It wasn't long after she'd finished her meal (a pie of some kind, sold by a kind young gentleman with a round face and curly hair whose name she hadn't caught) that the telegraph came, detailing instructions of where to find Missandei. 

Crumpling the paper in her hands, she set out for the location, secretly grinning to herself. Seeing Missandei after so long would definitely be a pleasure, though she'd hoped Missandei would say she'd made the right choice.   
'  
Dany arrived promptly as she often did, perching in the corner of the small saloon on the edges of Winter Town. Missandei came in a few moments later, opening the door looking about. She caught sight of Dany and waved, a grin splitting her face for a moment.

"Hello!" she called, perhaps a bit loudly. The small amount of people in the saloon looked back at her before returning to their drinks. She and Dany embraced, the hug long and soothing to Dany's racing heart. The worry and apprehension of the encounter with Arya, Mr. Stark, all of it fell away as she embraced Missandei. After a long moment, Dany pulled back, hands on Missandei’s arms as she looked her over. The Naathi woman’s face was slightly ashen and her eyes looked a little duller than usual. 

"Good to see you," Dany said. "You're looking healthy." 

"The North isn't doing me any favors," Missandei replied, grinning sarcastically. "You aren't as clever as you think you are."

"Had to try," Dany replied with a shrug. "Let's take a seat so you can warm up." Missandei's hands were freezing when Dany took them and the Targaryen was certain that the rest of her friend wasn't much warmer. They took seats as near to the fire as they could get, ignoring the scrutinizing stares of the other customers. It was clear that they weren't natives to the North, with Missandei's dark skin and Dany's pale hair and violet eyes. 

"So, what business brought you to the North?" Missandei asked. "Last I'd heard, you were still on the trail of Daario Naharis?"

Ah, yes, her most recent case. It had ended in utter failure, with Naharis escaping to the west. No one quite knew where he had gone, but it was a stain on Dany's record that she wasn't soon to leave behind or be forgiven of. 

"That fell through," Dany said. Strange that the news hadn't caught up to Missandei, though Dany had sworn to find the man if it killed her. She was obviously alive, but Naharis wasn't there either. Missandei was smart enough to put together the pieces. "However, I have been sent here on official business. I've got a new case."

"A new case?"

"Tell me what you know of the Wolf, Missandei." The Naathi woman's eyes widened slightly.

"And you're still alive? Strange. I've heard that most detectives that get involved with that case usually find themselves dead on the side of the road." Her voice lowered, face darkening. "Are you safe? Do you need help?"

"Yes...well, no," Dany said immediately, then reconsidered. "Well, I'm safe. I'm pretty sure, but I do need help. Do you trust me?" 

"Always," Missandei said and Dany couldn't help the small smile that fell over her lips. 

"I know who the Wolf is," she said, lowering her voice and leaning closer. "I managed to do some sleuthing about-"

"As you always do," Missandei said, just shy of smirking. Dany shook her head and continued, voice still low.

"I've met her. The Wolf. Even got a confession out of her and everything, though I didn't manage to write it down."

"Then why haven't I been hearing about it? Surely the news would have been everywhere. The Wolf is a serious problem for those down South, not that I blame them-"

"Would you let me talk for more than a few moments?" Dany asked, laughing quietly. Missandei sighed and leaned back in her chair, miming zipping her mouth closed. "Thank you. Now, as I was about to say, I've had contact with the Wolf. And I have no intention of exposing her, let alone turning her into the authorities. She and I came to an understanding and we struck a deal. In return for my keeping her secret, she'll help me to expose much of the corruption in the South."

"You've worked out a deal with the most wanted criminal in Westeros at the moment? And it's against who I am going to assume are your benefactors?" Missandei asked, though the look on her face said that she already believed it. "Oh, you're in for a hell of a ride, aren't you?"

"I believe that I am," Dany admitted, though she was surprised to find that there was little fear in her voice. "I'm not sure whether or not I should tell you who it is."

"I swear I won't tell anyone," Missandei said instantly. "If you believe that she can provide you with the information that you need to tidy up Westeros, I trust you. Completely." Dany grinned at that.

"It's Arya Stark." There must have been something in the way her voice shaped the name (she had to admit it felt good on her tongue) because Missandei got that look in her eye.

"Oh? Tell me more."

"I suspected it once I started looking into the information that previous agents have discovered. See, many of the times the Wolf struck Lannister or Baratheon holdings in the South, she was traveling with her family. Anytime there was an attack in the North, she was seen near the spot. That and her access to the Wolfswood made her a prime target."

"So you went to interrogate her?" Missandei asked and Dany nodded. "I swear, you'll get yourself killed one day."

"Like I said, we struck a deal. But I need your help with a few more things."

"Anything for you Dany, you know that."

"Good." Dany smirked then, a proper smirk and she leaned forward, drawing Missandei closer to her. “Because we’ve got some planning to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, some big news: i have a tumblr now!!!! please, come yell at me or leave ideas or really anything [@joanwolfe](https://joanwolfe.tumblr.com/) (it's honestly just me shitposting into the void, so please, drop by and leave me a comment) this blog is mostly dedicated to Doctor who, but y'all can come by too
> 
> this is probably only going to have another 4 or so chapters. i've got them roughly planned out (haven't started them) so we're starting to draw to a close on this fic
> 
> with that being said, this will probably be my last Danarya piece for a long time. i'm taking a break from Game of Thrones to focus on my Doctor Who stuff. you've still got a few more chapters with me, though, so let's make the most of it
> 
> as always, feel free to leave a kudos or a comment. they make my world (even though y'all just reading this makes my world) stay safe, stay healthy, and i'll see you guys next time.


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